Hair protector

ABSTRACT

A hair protector that can be placed over a woman&#39;&#39;s hair style for protecting the hair while sleeping and cover hair rollers, etc., when hair is put up, asleep or awake, and which is made in three tubular panels, a top panel being of light, open weave material, an intermediate panel being of two ply construction with an inner layer being of foam material and an outer layer of smooth or slick material, and a bottom panel being of light net material. An elastic band is attached around the bottom of the lower panel to hold the protector on the head and provide lateral adjustment and a sliding ring is positioned around the top to provide vertical adjustment.

United States Patent 172i Inventor Richard G. Gregg 3.327.720 6/1967 Carmony et a1. 132/49 2410 Holmes Ave.. Huntsville, Ala. 3.35 l ()73 11/1967 Gregg 132/46 [21 1 Appl. No 874,862 3.392.737 7/1968 Fefferman 132/49 [22] Filed Nov.'7. I969 FOREIGN PATENTS Pmemed 1.354285 1/1964 France 2/68 [54] HAIR PROTECTOR 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

Primary ExaminerPatrick D. Lawson Assistant Examiner-George H. Krizmanich Attorney-C. A. Phillips ABSTRACT: A hair protector that can be placed over a womans hair style for protecting the hair while sleeping and cover hair rollers, etc., when hair is put up, asleep or awake, and which is made in three tubular panels, a top panel being of light, open weave material, an intermediate panel being of two ply construction with an inner layer being of foam material and an outer layer of smooth or slick material, and a bottom panel being of light net material. An elastic band is attached around the bottom of the lower panel to hold the protector on the head and provide lateral adjustment and a sliding ring is positioned around the top to provide vertical adjustment.

PATENTEU FEB 9 |97| FIG. 4

Richard G. Gregg,

I 'INVENTOR FIG. I

ORNEY HAIR PROTECTOR The present invention relates to headwear and particularly to a cap which is placed over the head to protect the hair style of a wearer, primarily when the wearer is sleeping.

One difficulty with certain of the existing type caps of this type, or hair p protectors, is that they lack the ability to cling to the hair and tend to slide about on the head and thus muss the hair. This appears true even though the inner material of the cap provides some frictional support between the cap and the hair style. If a cap slides on the head, the hair will become disarrayed to some extent even though the cap remains generally in place.

Another difficulty is that existing type caps tend to crush a hair style.

Still another difficulty with certain of the existing type caps is that they fail to provide adequate ventilation with the result that the head of the wearer becomes overly warm. This not only causes discomfort but higher temperatures cause perspiration and perspiration deteriorates a hair style.

Still another difficulty with existing type caps is that they fail to provide both security and comfort.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to present a hair protector which provides improved retardation of slippage between the hair style and the protector but facilitates slippage between the protector and a pillow or other head rest.

It is another object of this invention to provide a hair protector having less tendency to crush a hair style.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a more effective means of ventilation between the protector and head and thus to provide a protector which is cool to wear and thus can be worn for many hours without discomfort or damage to a hair style.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a hair protector with inherent lateral adjustability.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a hair protector which may be worn securely on the head, but in which the pressure is within tolerable limits when worn over extended periods of time.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a hair protector which accomplishes the foregoing and other objects, and which still provides a fashionable cover for the head.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description when considered together with the drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a hair protector made according to the present invention and shown in place on a wearer;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view with the top portion of the protector gathered;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view similar to that of FIG. 2 except that the top portion of the protector is not gathered;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the protector.

Referring to the drawings, a hair covering cap or hair protector I0 is shown placed over coiffure or hair style of wearer 12. The, bouffant portion of a hair style would correspond to the portion enclosed by dashed line 13 of FIG. 2. Protector consists of three basic panels, a top or crown tubular panel 14, an intermediate tubular panel 16, and a lower tubular panel 18. The top or crown panel of the protector is made of thin flexible open weave material, such as net material, which is gathered and closed at the top by a ring which is positioned to draw the protector to a configuration which conforms with the upper portion of a hair style. The central or intermediate panel 16 of protector 10 is constructed in two layers, an inner layer 22 of flexible foam material and an outer layer 24 of a material having a smooth or slick outer surface such as satin. It has a typical height of 2 to 4 inches.

The layers of panel 16 are laminated or bonded together which provides mutual reenforcement or support for the layers as well as preventing undesired gathering of the material. It further facilitates manufacture in that it reduces the number of layers which must be simultaneously sewn in joining the top and bottom edges of intermediate panel 16 to the upper and lower panels of the hair protector. The top edge 28 of intermediate panel 16 is attached to the bottom edge 30 of crown section I4. Lower panel 18 is constructed of a similar or like thin open weave,or perforated material and is attached at an upper edge 32 to a lower edge 34 of intermediate panel 16. An elastic band 40 fastens to and terminates the lower edge of lower panel 18. Actually the material of lower panel 18 encloses elastic band 40 and is sewn at spaced points to provide a comfortable but secure support of the cap on the head. This causes it to gather to accommodate the reduction in diameter at the lower edge where it engages and is held by the head. Decorative ruffles 42, 44, 46 and 48 are incorporated on the upper and lower edges and at the junctions between the intermediate panel and upper and lower panels of the cap. Lower panel 18 is typically one-half inch to Z'inchcs in height.

The nonslip feature of this invention, that is the prevention of slippage of the cap with respect to the head, is achieved by the inner foam layer 22 of intermediate panel 16. It is a relatively thin layer and would typically be in the range of .02 to .100 inches in thickness to provide no more thickness than necessary to provide a soft frictional contacting surface to the hair. The free-slip feature of the invention, that is free slippage between the cap and pillow, is provided by outer satin layer 24 which is laminated to foam material 22.

Lower panel 18 is adapted to provide a tapered or curved inward tubular panel which combines with the intermediate panel to permit a delicate support for the middle and lower portion of a hair style, and, most important, of course, a sup port which provides ventilation up through the hair to prevent the greater density intermediate region from producing uncomfortable warmth. Thus, lower panel 18 has a twofold purpose, it provides a transition from the larger diameter below the hair region and in a manner which protects the hair from being crushed. Second, it provides for free air passage up through the hair which is turn prevents significant temperature rises between the cap and the head, an effect which has been a significant problem with many of the hair protectors now being marketed.

Elastic band 36 is sewn to lower panel I8 while stretched 75 percent to percent and band 40 is chosen to be stretchable to between 300 percent to 400 percent. By this choice of parameters, applicant has achieved a hair protector which remains comfortable over long hours of wear.

Thus the hair protector of this invention is adapted to provide a clinging effect to the side of hair style by virtue of inner layer 22 of intermediate panel I6 without relying on and causing a holding pressure to be applied against the hair which tends to crush it. As shown, holding is achieved by elastic band 40 which is lightly coupled to the bottom intermediate panel 16 by a light net material employed. for lower panel 18, and lower panel 18 is adjusted to be worn below the hairline so that it secured secures the protector to the head without crushing the hair. At the same time slick outer layer 24 of intermediate panel 16 permits the head to freely slide on supporting surfaces and thus there is slight tendency for the protector to be rotated upward or downward on the head while the wearer is sleeping. To sum up this feature, there is provided a greater frictional coupling between the protector and a supporting surface such as a pillow, and thus slippage occurs where desired, between the protector and pillow and not between the head and protector which would tend to disarrange the hair style.

The protector provides inherent adjustability as intermediate panel 16 can be pulled closer or released to a greater distance from the head by repositioning elastic band 40 downward to tighten or upward to loosen. This also permits lower panel 18 to follow the curvature of the lower portion of the hair style and provide a supporting but noncrushing effect to the lower portion of the hair style.

Lower panel 18, being of open weave material, provides means of cooling the head while the bouffant portion of a hair style of a wearer is desirably surrounded by the more dense intermediate panel.

The different compositions of the portions of the cap as well as the configuration of the cap as worn, as best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, provide an ideal combination of effects. One of these is that the cap is maintained in position with respect to the hair and not caused to rotate or to be moved up or down as the wearer moves her hair on a pillow.

Second, the cap freely slides on a pillow so that there is less tendency to cause the cap to be moved with respect to the hair. The first two effects are provided by intermediate lower panel 16.

Third, the first two effects are accomplished without producing uncomfortable temperature rises about the head, this feature being realized by virtue of the air vent provided by .lower panel 18. Lower panel 18 also provides an adjustable but secured spacing of the lower edge of intermediate panel 16 from the head, adjustment being effected by the positioning of elastic band 40 on the head, applying more or less inward pull to the lower edge of intermediate panel 16.

Fourth, the cap is comfortably held on the head and adapted to produce optimum and relatively even pressure on the head over the range of anticipated head size.

Fifth, new combination of means are provided for applying a light but significantly adjustable enclosure for the hair by vertical positioning of band 40 with a desired degree of taper from the bottom of panel 24 to band 40. This can be selected to adjust the middle and lower portions of the enclosure. Thus a ring through which the upper portion of crown panel 14 is inserted adjusts the upper portion and positioning of band 40 adjusts the middle and lower portions.

l claim:

1. A hair protector comprising:

A. a top tubular panel of light perforated material adapted to extend above the head of the wearer and surround the top portion of a hair style;

B. an intermediate tubular panel extending down from and attached to the lower edge of said top panel and comprising a layer of flexible foam material and a layer of smooth surfaced material, the foam material being the inner layer and adapted to present a gripping surface to the hair and the smooth surfaced material being the outer layer and being adapted to provide reduced friction between the hair protector and environmental surfaces whereby the protector is freely movable on a surface supporting the head and thus minimizing movement of the protector with respect to the head as the head is moved in engagement with a supporting surface;

C. closing means in engagement with said tubular top panel for adjustably gathering material of said top tubular panel for providing an adjustable size enclosure over the top portion of the head;

D. a lower tubular panel of light perforated material extending down from and attached to the lower edge of said intermediate panel; and

E. an elastic band attached to, and gathering the lower edge of said lower panel, whereby the relaxed state of said band causes said lower edge of said lower panel to assume a reduced diameter, whereby said lower panel is caused to curve inward at its lower edge and provide a vent for air to move vertically up through said lower tubular panel, then up between said intermediate panel and the head, and finally out through the top of said top panel.

2. A hair protector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lower tubular panel is at least one-half inch in height.

3. A hair protector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said foam material and smooth surfaced material are laminated toprovide an integral composition.

4. A hair protector as set forth in claim 2 wherein the height of said intermediate cylindrical panel is not less than 2 inches in hei ht.

5. hair protector as set forth in claim 4 wherein said intermediate panel and material of said lower panel are of substantially the same circumference.

6. A hair protector as set forth in claim 5 wherein said light perforated material is'a net material and said outer layer of said intermediate tubular panel is of satin.

7. A hair protector as set forth in claim 6 wherein said elastic band is stretched by percent to percent at the time of attachment to said lower band and said elastic band has a stretch limit of between 300 percent and 400 percent. 

1. A hair protector comprising: A. a top tubular panel of light perforated material adapted to extend above the head of the wearer and surround the top portion of a hair style; B. an intermediate tubular panel extending down from and attached to the lower edge of said top panel and comprising a layer of flexible foam material and a layer of smooth surfaced material, the foam material being the inner layer and adapted to present a gripping surface to the hair and the smooth surfaCed material being the outer layer and being adapted to provide reduced friction between the hair protector and environmental surfaces whereby the protector is freely movable on a surface supporting the head and thus minimizing movement of the protector with respect to the head as the head is moved in engagement with a supporting surface; C. closing means in engagement with said tubular top panel for adjustably gathering material of said top tubular panel for providing an adjustable size enclosure over the top portion of the head; D. a lower tubular panel of light perforated material extending down from and attached to the lower edge of said intermediate panel; and E. an elastic band attached to, and gathering the lower edge of said lower panel, whereby the relaxed state of said band causes said lower edge of said lower panel to assume a reduced diameter, whereby said lower panel is caused to curve inward at its lower edge and provide a vent for air to move vertically up through said lower tubular panel, then up between said intermediate panel and the head, and finally out through the top of said top panel.
 2. A hair protector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lower tubular panel is at least one-half inch in height.
 3. A hair protector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said foam material and smooth surfaced material are laminated to provide an integral composition.
 4. A hair protector as set forth in claim 2 wherein the height of said intermediate cylindrical panel is not less than 2 inches in height.
 5. A hair protector as set forth in claim 4 wherein said intermediate panel and material of said lower panel are of substantially the same circumference.
 6. A hair protector as set forth in claim 5 wherein said light perforated material is a net material and said outer layer of said intermediate tubular panel is of satin.
 7. A hair protector as set forth in claim 6 wherein said elastic band is stretched by 75 percent to 150 percent at the time of attachment to said lower band and said elastic band has a stretch limit of between 300 percent and 400 percent. 